Plasticized, Adhesive Binary Explosive

ABSTRACT

The devices and methods described below provide for a plasticized, adhesive binary explosive formed with nitromethane (NM) plasticized with nitrocellulose (NC) as an energetic compound and using a suitable amine as the sensitizer. The addition of the sensitizer to the plasticized mixture of NM/NC causes the gel to become explosive while maintaining stability and not deflagrating.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 63/051,487, filed Jul. 14, 2020.

FIELD OF THE INVENTIONS

The inventions described below relate to the field of energetic materials, more specifically nitroalkane based binary explosives.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS

A binary explosive composition is an explosive composition produced by the combination of two components just prior to use and for which each component is non-detonable under normal industrial practices. There are many two and three component binary explosives using a solid or liquid fuel and a solid or liquid oxidizer that becomes explosive upon mixing the fuel and oxidizer components. There are many problems with conventional binary explosives and one of the most inconvenient is that they need to be mixed and used in a closed container.

Nitrocellulose (NC) is an energetic plasticizer which is not considered an explosive when the nitrogen content is <12.6%. Conventionally NC is not suitable for use in nitroalkane based binary explosive use because amines are often used in nitroalkane based binary explosives as sensitizers. The addition of amines to nitrocellulose can be hazardous and may cause deflagration.

SUMMARY

The devices and methods described below provide for a plasticized, adhesive binary explosive having a first component formed with nitromethane (NM) or other suitable nitroalkane combined with nitrocellulose as an energetic plasticizer as well as an optional stabilizer, retinyl acetate (RA), to form a non-detonable energetic compound. This non-detonable energetic compound may be sensitized by the addition of any suitable amine such as triethylenetetramine (TETA) as the second component or sensitizer. The addition of a suitable amine such as TETA to the plasticized mixture of NM/NC causes the plasticized or gelatinized energetic compound to become explosive while maintaining stability and not deflagrating.

The advantage of this mixture is that it is adhesive to surfaces however they are oriented and could be used in a variety of applications including explosive breaching. For example on vertical surfaces or on the underside of horizontal surfaces. Additional benefits include the fact that the NM/NC energetic compound gel is non-explosive (as is the amine while they are separated) which greatly simplifies shipping and storage. It also increases safety for the user due to the fact that they will not have to transport high explosives on their person or in their vehicle. The user may preferrably carry the product in an un-mixed form and only mix the substances when needed/desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross section view of a binary component dispensing tube.

FIG. 2 is a cross section view of the binary component dispensing tube of FIG. 1 with a mixing tip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a plasticized, adhesive binary explosive 3 or 3A is formed using nitromethane which is plasticized to form energetic compound gel 1 by the addition of non-explosive nitrocellulose which has <12.6% nitrogen and an optional stabilizer, retinyl acetate. This plasticized or gelatinized energetic compound gel 1 is prepared by addition of 5-30% NC into the NM with use of any suitable stirrer such as a high shear stirrer. The higher the percentage of NC relative to the NM will increase the viscosity of the energetic compound 1.

The optional stabilizer, retinyl acetate (RA), a fatty acid ester, is a nitrogen oxide (NOx) scavenger which is used to postpone the autocatalytic process, which occurs when NC is decomposing. Other stabilizers used such as Centralite and Arkadite are diphenylamines and are prone to form N-nitrosamines when reacting with decomposition products which could potentially cause health problems where RA will not.

The addition of 0.5-20% of a sensitizer 2 which is any suitable amine, to the plasticized/gelatinized mixture of NM/NC, energetic compound 1, produces the mixture, explosive gel 3 while maintaining stability. The mass of NC is measured as a percentage of the mass of the NM. The mass of the RA is measured as a percentage of the NC, while the mass of the amine is measured as a percentage of energetic compound 1. Explosive gel 3 is adhesive to surfaces in any orientation and could be used in a variety of applications including explosive breaching avalanche control, unexploded ordinance disposal and mining. Additional benefits include the fact that the NM/NC gel is non-explosive (as is the amine) which greatly simplifies shipping, storage and transportation.

Suitable amines are selected from the class of aliphatic amines such as mono, di and tri alkyl amines containing one or more nitrogen atoms; as well as the class of heterocyclic aliphatic amines or alicyclic amines, the class of aromatic heterocyclic amines containing one or more nitrogen atoms and the class of anilines such as primary, secondary and tertiary anilines such as for example Ancamine® 2422.

An alternative technique for sensitizing the nitroalkane is to add a suitable powdered metal to the sensitizer to form a slurry 4. The addition of the powdered metal will increase the energy output of the resulting explosive gel 3A. Suitable metal powders include aluminum powder (spherical and flake), magnesium powder, zirconium powder, boron powder, silicon powder and titanium hydride powder. For example, aluminum powder 5 is added to the sensitizer 2 to form a slurry. Another option would be the addition of glass microballoons.

In use, a user would combine the plasticized energetic compound 1 of NM/NC with sensitizer 2 forming the explosive mixture, gel 3. The explosive mixture is detonated using any suitable detonator such as a suitable blasting cap. The plasticized NM/NC energetic compound 1 may be contained in one tube of a binary component applicator 10 with a dual plunger and a mixing nozzle and the selected sensitizer 2 may be contained in an adjacent tube of the applicator. Compressing the dual plunger on the binary component applicator will inject proportional amounts of the plasticized NM/NC and the selected amine into the mixing tip 11. Plasticized, adhesive binary explosive flows from the mixing nozzle producing a bead of adhesive high explosive gel. Securing a detonator such as a blasting cap into the plasticized, adhesive binary explosive gel 3 will enable the binary explosive to be detonated when the detonator is initiated.

The color of the NM/NC mixture and a suitable amine are sufficiently similar that it may be difficult to distinguish plain plasticized NM/NC from sensitized and explosive mixture, gel 3. This may be remedied by the addition of one or more chemically neutral coloring agents to either the plain plasticized NM/NC and or the amine or both. The added color agent(s) will enable a user to unambiguously determine if the plasticized NM/NC has been sensitized and is explosive.

Only a portion of the required NM/NC must be sensitized to enable the entire quantity of NM/NC to explode. The energy of the sensitized portion exploding will cause the unsensitized NM/NC to explode as well. Plasticized NM/NC may be sensitized and allowed to harden before use, for example in the shape of a flexible cylinder. After hardening, a portion of one end of the cylinder must be sensitized to initiate an explosion. The detonation of the sensitized portion of the cylinder will detonate the remainder, the unsensitized portion, of the plasticized NM/NC.

Optionally any suitable chemical hardner may be added to the NM/NC mixture to increase the viscosity.

While the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. The elements of the various embodiments may be incorporated into each of the other species to obtain the benefits of those elements in combination with such other species, and the various beneficial features may be employed in embodiments alone or in combination with each other. Other embodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from the spirit of the inventions and the scope of the appended claims. 

We claim:
 1. A binary explosive comprising: nitromethane mixed with nitrocellulose having less than 12.6% nitrogen to form plasticized nitromethane/nitrocellulose; and triethylenetetramine.
 2. A binary explosive comprising: nitromethane mixed with nitrocellulose having less than 12.6% nitrogen to form plasticized nitromethane/nitrocellulose; and an amine selected from the group aliphatic amines, heterocyclic aliphatic amines, aromatic heterocyclic amines or anilines.
 3. A nitroalkane mixed with nitrocellulose having less than 12.6% nitrogen to form plasticized gel and an amine.
 4. The binary explosive of claim 1 further comprising: powdered metal combined with the triethylenetetramine to form a slurry.
 5. The binary explosive of claim 4 wherein the powdered metal is selected from the group aluminum powder (spherical and flake), magnesium powder, zirconium powder, boron powder, silicon powder or titanium hydride powder.
 6. The binary explosive of claim 4 wherein the plasticized nitromethane/nitrocellulose further comprises: retinyl acetate.
 7. The binary explosive of claim 2 further comprising: powdered metal combined with the amine to form a slurry.
 8. The binary explosive of claim 7 wherein the powdered metal is selected from the group aluminum powder (spherical and flake), magnesium powder, zirconium powder, boron powder, silicon powder or titanium hydride powder.
 9. The binary explosive of claim 2 wherein the plasticized nitromethane/nitrocellulose further comprises: retinyl acetate.
 10. The binary explosive of claim 2 wherein the amine is Ancamine®
 2422. 11. The binary explosive of claim 3 further comprising: powdered metal combined with the amine to form a slurry.
 12. The binary explosive of claim 10 wherein the powdered metal is selected from the group aluminum powder (spherical and flake), magnesium powder, zirconium powder, boron powder, silicon powder or titanium hydride powder.
 13. The binary explosive of claim 3 wherein the plasticized nitromethane/nitrocellulose further comprises: retinyl acetate.
 14. The binary explosive of claim 3 wherein the amine is Ancamine®
 2422. 